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Lyons: Focus on Newtown after British tourist murders

Sarasota's NAACP president, Trevor Harvey, center, defends the Newtown community during a new conference April 22 held outside of the Greater Hurst Chapel Church in Newtown, calling for unity, after the shooting deaths of two British tourists recently in Newtown.

Published: Monday, April 25, 2011 at 3:48 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, April 25, 2011 at 3:48 p.m.

Coverage of the murders of two British tourists, especially in some British tabloids, has sometimes fallen short on accuracy. More to the point, some went overboard describing the level of violence and crime in the predominantly black community in north Sarasota.

After all, many residents and leaders in Newtown talk optimistically these days about job training programs and economic redevelopment they hope are taking Newtown in a positive direction. They are upset that those terrible murders are being used to indict the whole Newtown community for the acts of one gunman.

But I feel kind of bad for Sarasota Mayor Kelly Kirschner, who was compelled to attempt some damage control to keep tourists and their dollars flying into Sarasota. He supposedly made a big faux pas while assuring the tourism world that Sarasota is as safe as anywhere they are likely to travel. To make the point, he made it sound as if Newtown doesn't count as part of Sarasota. His "Tale of Two Cities" analogy came off to many as throwing that part of town under the bus.

No matter how many residents are working hard to solve problems in their community, the mayor's critics say his words fueled the image of Newtown as a dangerous place best avoided.

The irony, though, is that community leaders in Newtown fall into the same trap themselves, quite often. So do I. So might anyone trying to talk honestly and constructively about problems there.

The very words outlining a city plan to redevelop Newtown include this sentence: "Many of the problems in Newtown seem insurmountable: There is declining home ownership, loss of population, increasing crime, concentration of public housing, and decreasing incomes."

Mary Mack, speaking as head of Newtown's Amaryllis Park Neighborhood Association, said a few years ago that redevelopment would be useless if something wasn't done about violent crime.

"I don't appreciate having to even think about dodging bullets," Mack said.

Harvey's organization, the Sarasota NAACP chapter, organized a "Call to Action" community prayer walk through Newtown two years ago to speak out against the surging violence. "We felt a sense of urgency to rally the religious community to pray against this violence," said Kelvin Lumpkin, the chapter director of religious affairs.

No wonder. A Herald-Tribune series said 12 people were fatally shot in and around Newtown from February 2008 to February 2010.

That same series also explained that successful police and community action against one especially violent and active gang made a dramatic difference. Violence clearly decreased, and residents know it. Few news accounts of this month's double murder took any note of that. But it is hard to know if the ebb is a long-term trend or a brief lull, perhaps now shattered. And no fair person should deny that, by comparison to the rest of Sarasota, Newtown — or parts of it — has often been a hotspot for crime and arrests.

So I asked Commission candidate Willie Shaw, a Newtown resident, what he wishes he could have told those young murder victims had he known they were about to walk from Main Street through Newtown at 3 a.m.

"I'd ask them why they were going," Shaw said, and point out that nothing is open at that hour and that most people are asleep, so, why go?

If that is all he told them, I thought, they might have walked to their deaths anyway, thinking they risked nothing worse than boredom. What about a mention of armed drug dealers they might meet? They aren't asleep at that hour.

But even with hindsight, it seems Shaw felt the need to avoid joining Mayor Kirschner in the soup by saying anything to make Newtown sound dangerous at a time when so many press accounts are doing so.

So Shaw stuck with the script: Newtown is on the upswing, things are getting better, and painting it any other way undermines the effort.

I get it. But here's what I wish someone had told James Cooper and James Kouzaris that night:

Newtown is fascinating. You should go there if you want to learn more about America. Lots of people will love talking to you about what Newtown is, what it used to be, and why. But go in the daytime.

I much hope there comes a time, and soon, when I don't think going there at night would be risky. But it seems wrong to pretend I think we are already there.

Tom Lyons can be contacted at tom.lyons@heraldtribune.com or (941) 361-4964.

<p>It's easy to understand why NAACP chapter president Trevor Harvey thinks Newtown has been smeared in news accounts.</p><p>Coverage of the murders of two British tourists, especially in some British tabloids, has sometimes fallen short on accuracy. More to the point, some went overboard describing the level of violence and crime in the predominantly black community in north Sarasota.</p><p>After all, many residents and leaders in Newtown talk optimistically these days about job training programs and economic redevelopment they hope are taking Newtown in a positive direction. They are upset that those terrible murders are being used to indict the whole Newtown community for the acts of one gunman.</p><p>But I feel kind of bad for Sarasota Mayor Kelly Kirschner, who was compelled to attempt some damage control to keep tourists and their dollars flying into Sarasota. He supposedly made a big faux pas while assuring the tourism world that Sarasota is as safe as anywhere they are likely to travel. To make the point, he made it sound as if Newtown doesn't count as part of Sarasota. His "Tale of Two Cities" analogy came off to many as throwing that part of town under the bus.</p><p>No matter how many residents are working hard to solve problems in their community, the mayor's critics say his words fueled the image of Newtown as a dangerous place best avoided.</p><p>The irony, though, is that community leaders in Newtown fall into the same trap themselves, quite often. So do I. So might anyone trying to talk honestly and constructively about problems there.</p><p>The very words outlining a city plan to redevelop Newtown include this sentence: "Many of the problems in Newtown seem insurmountable: There is declining home ownership, loss of population, increasing crime, concentration of public housing, and decreasing incomes."</p><p>Mary Mack, speaking as head of Newtown's Amaryllis Park Neighborhood Association, said a few years ago that redevelopment would be useless if something wasn't done about violent crime.</p><p>"I don't appreciate having to even think about dodging bullets," Mack said.</p><p>Harvey's organization, the Sarasota NAACP chapter, organized a "Call to Action" community prayer walk through Newtown two years ago to speak out against the surging violence. "We felt a sense of urgency to rally the religious community to pray against this violence," said Kelvin Lumpkin, the chapter director of religious affairs.</p><p>No wonder. A Herald-Tribune series said 12 people were fatally shot in and around Newtown from February 2008 to February 2010. </p><p>That same series also explained that successful police and community action against one especially violent and active gang made a dramatic difference. Violence clearly decreased, and residents know it. Few news accounts of this month's double murder took any note of that. But it is hard to know if the ebb is a long-term trend or a brief lull, perhaps now shattered. And no fair person should deny that, by comparison to the rest of Sarasota, Newtown — or parts of it — has often been a hotspot for crime and arrests.</p><p>So I asked Commission candidate Willie Shaw, a Newtown resident, what he wishes he could have told those young murder victims had he known they were about to walk from Main Street through Newtown at 3 a.m.</p><p>"I'd ask them why they were going," Shaw said, and point out that nothing is open at that hour and that most people are asleep, so, why go?</p><p>If that is all he told them, I thought, they might have walked to their deaths anyway, thinking they risked nothing worse than boredom. What about a mention of armed drug dealers they might meet? They aren't asleep at that hour.</p><p>But even with hindsight, it seems Shaw felt the need to avoid joining Mayor Kirschner in the soup by saying anything to make Newtown sound dangerous at a time when so many press accounts are doing so.</p><p>So Shaw stuck with the script: Newtown is on the upswing, things are getting better, and painting it any other way undermines the effort.</p><p>I get it. But here's what I wish someone had told James Cooper and James Kouzaris that night:</p><p>Newtown is fascinating. You should go there if you want to learn more about America. Lots of people will love talking to you about what Newtown is, what it used to be, and why. But go in the daytime.</p><p>I much hope there comes a time, and soon, when I don't think going there at night would be risky. But it seems wrong to pretend I think we are already there.</p><p><i>Tom Lyons can be contacted at tom.lyons@heraldtribune.com or (941) 361-4964.</i></p>